Today we are talking about the Fruit of the Spirit, GOODNESS. You might be surprised to find that Godly Goodness is NOT about what we DO…it’s about who we are, what we think on and the motivations behind the decisions we make. So let’s learn more together about goodness today, and how we need this in our lives as moms!
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We use the word “GOOD” all the time, don’t we?
I would take it a step further and say that we overuse the word “good.” Therefore, when we read about goodness in the Bible, it is no wonder that we usually don’t really understand what it really means…
But before we get to that, what are some common phrases that we all overuse this popular word “good?”
The most common is probably: “Good deal”
When we are surprised we might say: “Goodness gracious” or “Good grief!” And of course there are others that take the Lord’s name in vain, so I’m not going to mention those…
We tell our kids: “Be a good sport” or “Make good decisions.”
When someone asks us how we are feeling, we might say: “Good as new,” “So far, so good,” “As good as it gets,” or “Too good to be true.”
When complimenting another person you admire, you might say: “She is as good as gold.”
But speaking to this last one especially, anyone that thinks someone really is “Good as gold” as people say, or think that goodness comes naturally as a personality trait, obviously haven’t raised toddlers!
You know it’s true moms…Wfse we don’t have to teach lying, the word “NO” or “Mine!” or temper tantrums to a 3 year old! Can I get an Amen?! It’s the opposite actually…We have to teach them the word “yes” with manners like “please” and “thank you,” and the ability to communicate and be considerate of others, without throwing a fit at every obstacle.
Proving that phrases like: “Good as gold,” really are “too good to be true!” (See what I did there?!)
But seriously, left to ourselves, without Jesus, kids AND adults both alike…We are ALL naturally selfish and prone to sin!
And you may say, well Mallory, I know that is a true statement, but I would like to think that I would be capable of at least doing something good for someone on my own -OR- you might even think of some friends that are not saved, but you still see them doing so much “good” to help a sick friend, a hurting neighbor or for animals and the planet..
We can see the value in things that are “good” as the world would define it, for sure, but let’s go back to our toddlers for example…
They aren’t screaming “NO” and throwing tantrums every second of the day! There are good and sweet moments too, and no, I am not referring to just when they are sleeping! 🙂 Those moments when they bring you a flower from the yard or want to snuggle on the couch or grab your cheeks for a kiss…
In the same way, we can universally recognized good deeds by both Christians and non-christians. People aren’t making bad decisions and in sin every moment of the day…
But this is not what we are talking about today…the fruit of the spirit goodness is a totally different thing, and I have had to really think about how to explain this both to myself and for you listening…
You and I tend to think of “goodness” as the things we DO and the choices we MAKE, even as Christians..
But Godly Goodness is so much more than that! It’s who we are once we ask Jesus into our lives, it’s what we think and the motivations behind the decisions we make…
As moms we are always doing things for others, whether we like it or not…
Planning your kids birthday parties, summer vacations, weekly meal plans, praying for a friend that’s hurting, taking her family dinner, teaching at VBS at your church…All those just to name a few, because we DO a lot of things as moms!
What would be on your list, right now, this summer? Most all of them are good things and happen without any recognition or a thank you, but still, this is not Godly Goodness.
Remember, it’s who we are once we ask Jesus into our lives, it’s what we think and the motivations behind the decisions we make…
So what if I told you that I was collecting a list: Included, would be all the things you do for others everyday for a week..
This idea might seem intriguing to you in this moment, until I tell you that, in addition to this, there will be a list kept and printed off of everything that you think about every minute of the day, for the week as well….
You probably aren’t as excited about that idea…Am I right? I know I wouldn’t be!
May times, we put all of our stock for Jesus in what we do, but Jesus most cares about who we are on the inside! Tis is what the fruit of the Spirit, goodness, really is!
“God doesn’t want me to do anything for Him. He wants to do something through me.”
Adrian Rogers
Ultimately I think this quote from Adrian Rogers is saying: God doesn’t need us and our to-do lists…He wants our hearts and our minds and our time, to be willing to do whatever he calls us to!
But we won’t be able to do that if we are too busy with all of the “good” things, or if we are filling our thought life with negative or sinful thoughts…
So two things I challenge you with:
- Look at your schedule and cut some things out, even if they are by world standards “good things.” Then use your newfound free time to focus on the Goodness of God by spending daily time with Him, so that you can focus on growing in goodness and can know you are right where God wants you to be. Just cutting a few things and doing this, will bring so much peace to your chaos, mom! (Find a FREE study of Proverbs to use on our homepage!)
- If the idea of having your thought life printed off for the world to see terrifies you, like I shared above, then really take some time to think about what you need to do to improve that area of your life, because your godly goodness flows out of your heart and mind…who you are on the inside. So what you put in will eventually come out right? — (That’s what we tell our kids!)–So if social media is causing you to self compare or judge others, or Netflix shows are constantly normalizing sin in front of you….TURN IT OFF and take a needed break from it, so you can really focus on growing in goodness!
Philippians 2:13 says: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Basically meaning, the first step is to quit doing and start trusting! You don’t produce this fruit on your own...You bear it, as you live a life for Jesus, by reading His Word and spending time with Him!
So bottom line, do you desire to have the Goodness of God flowing out of you?
If so, give these two challenges a try this summer and please be sure to share this episode with a friend! Follow this ministry on Instagram @faithful31moms to be updated about new blogs and resources, and remember to keep up the good work of pointing your kid to Jesus!